Mini Stuffed Peppers

It’s only taken me 2 years, countless requests and one Food Network retweet later to finally share my “recipe” for stuffed peppers. But please know that I am using the word “recipe” very loosely. I’ve sat down so many times to get this onto the blog but each time I went to write the recipe I couldn’t seem to quantify the actual ingredients. Probably because I’ve never had a recipe of my own to follow.

About 20 years ago I asked my mother in law how to make her yummy stuffed peppers and in true Italian Mother fashion, she gave me a list of ingredients. Getting actual recipes from any Italian mother is kind of like finding Willy Wonka’s Golden Ticket. Anyway, I wrote down ingredients on a sheet of paper (which I still have) and have been winging it ever since. This is definitely one of those “recipes” where I really just eyeball the ingredients and truly use what I have on hand.

I have made so many different variations of these peppers over the years without ever recording one step. Even now when someone asks me how to make my stuffed peppers I have to laugh as I share my list of Ingredients with them, but that’s really all I have to give.

My stuffed peppers “recipe” goes a little something like this….

Clean and cut some mini peppers. Reserve 1 or two to dice up. Then in a pan with olive oil saute the cubed peppers and some diced up eggplant, onion, tomato and garlic. Saute with some parsley and dried italian sausage (if you like) until everything has softened and the tomatoes have released some liquid. Then in a bowl combine bread crumbs, grated parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese and a handful of frozen peas. Take the hot vegetables and liquid and pour it over the bread crumbs and mix together. Add one egg and mix again. Stuff the peppers and place on a well oiled baking sheet. Roll the peppers around on the sheet to coat them and then roast them in the oven at 400 degrees F. Turn peppers as needed. When peppers are soft and golden on all sides they are done.

So like I was “taught” so many years ago I am sharing with you my “recipe” and/or list of ingredients to make these yummy stuffed peppers. Use it a as a reference more than a recipe because I really can only share my “eyeball & handful” measurements. Hopefully, from this you can and will make this recipe your own. After all, isn’t that what home cooking is all about?

Clean and cut the tops off from the peppers. Gently insert a spoon or knife into the pepper to widen the pepper opening a bit. Set aside 1 or 2 peppers to dice up and saute in a hot pan with olive oil, onion, garlic, tomato, eggplant and parsley. If I had to guess I would say 3-4 heaping tablespoons. If you are using prosciutto/dried sausage add it now as well. Cook down over medium heat until the vegetables are softened but not mushy.

In a separate bowl combine the breadcrumbs and the cheeses. Pour the hot vegetable mixture and the frozen peas into the bowl of breadcrumbs. Mix together gently and then add one egg and mix together some more. You should now have a cheesy breadcrumb stuffing/filling.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. With a spoon take the filling and stuff each pepper to the top. Pack in the stuffing as best you can. Grease (with olive oil) a large baking sheet. Place the peppers on the baking sheet and roll them around in the oil to coat all the sides. Place them into a pre-heated 400 degree F oven and roast until they begin to brown and soften. Each oven is different but I would say it takes approximately 15-20 minutes. Keep an eye on the pepper and turn them as needed.

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